Decline in German beer sales steepens in 2025

Germany | The sales crisis in the German brewing industry deepens. According to figures from the Federal Statistical Office cited by the German Brewers' Association (DBB), beer sales in November 2025 were down 8.2 percent over the same month in 2024, both in total and in terms of taxable volume sales.

Russia’s beer consumption drops 17 percent in 2025, really?

Russia | Retail sales of beer dropped by 17 percent in 2025, according to official estimates, while beer production was down only 0.5 percent, or even up by some percentage points over 2024. How to explain these wide discrepancies? Alexey Nebolsin, Vice-President of the Federation of Restaurateurs and Hoteliers of Russia, warned on the website aif.ru (23 December): “In reality, the situation is quite different.”

One pub per day closed in England and Wales in 2025

United Kingdom | Data shows 366 pubs have been demolished or converted for other uses last year as cost pressures take toll on sector. Industry experts said the data highlighted the “drastic” situation for British pubs ahead of higher property tax payments for many from April.

Germany’s retailer Edeka and AB-InBev settle dispute over prices

Germany | The dispute over higher beer prices between the Edeka supermarket chain and AB-InBev has been settled and all of AB-InBev’s brands will be available again, German media reported on 2 January. Edeka’s headquarters in Hamburg did not provide any further details, citing competition reasons. Edeka is a member of the transnational purchasing group Everest, which was also involved in the dispute.

King Charles officially opens Guinness Open Gate Brewery London

United Kingdom | His Majesty The King was greeted with “Céad Míle Fáilte” – a hundred thousand welcomes – when he arrived to officially open the Guinness Open Gate Brewery London in the heart of Covent Garden on 18 December.

UK Publicans refuse entry to Labour MPs in tax protest

United Kingdom | Labour MPs are banned from over 1000 pubs as publicans stage a nationwide protest against Chancellor Rachel Reeves' tax hikes, announced in her autumn budget (26 November). The much publicised protest began in December and has since been joined by hairdressers. However, the conservative newspaper, The Telegraph, which is certainly no friend of the Labour government, criticised the ban as “childish”. The Spectator, a conservative weekly, added that it “frays our social bonds”.

Beer wars in Luxembourg: EU Commission enforces competition among wholesalers

Luxembourg | The arrival of a new distributor to supply bars and restaurants – under the watchful eye of an EU-appointed monitor – could loosen the grip that Luxembourg’s two brewers have long held over beer prices.

No shortage of Guinness as strike action is suspended

United Kingdom | A not-so-merry season: In December 2024, Guinness stout faced a shortage in the UK due to “exceptional consumer demand”. This year, it was feared that strike action at Diageo’s Northern Ireland bottling plant would cause supply issues for Guinness Zero over the holiday period again – something Diageo vigorously denied.

AB-InBev Germany without a country director

Germany | Bremen’s revolving doors are spinning again. Jannik Weitzl will resign from his post as Country Director Germany on 31 December. The 38-year-old manager had only succeeded Michel Pepa in April 2024, when Mr Pepa was transferred within the group to Leuven. Mr Pepa had held the post for slightly more than four years. It is still unclear who will succeed Mr Weitzl.

Franconia and Belgium – united by beer

Belgium | Brewers from Franconia, a region in the north of Bavaria, and fellow brewers from Belgium have sealed a new partnership and will collaborate on a beer. At the end of November, representatives from five Franconian breweries visited their Belgian colleagues and laid the foundation for a special partnership. Next year, punters will be able to taste their first collab beer at the beer festival in Nuremberg.